Lynn Nearyhttp://upr.org
enSee What 'Saturday Night Live' Looks Like The Rest Of The Weekhttp://upr.org/post/see-what-saturday-night-live-looks-rest-week
When <em>Saturday Night Live</em> went on the air 40 years ago, few would have guessed how many of the cast members would go on to become household names. But you've probably never heard of Edie Baskin and Mary Ellen Matthews. They're the official photographers on <em>Saturday Night Live</em> and their combined careers have spanned the life of the show. A collection of their work has been published to coincide with this year's anniversary broadcast on Sunday.<p>Baskin's career at <em>Saturday Night Live</em> got its start at a Los Angeles poker game where she met Lorne Michaels.Fri, 13 Feb 2015 23:29:00 +0000Lynn Neary53073 at http://upr.orgSee What 'Saturday Night Live' Looks Like The Rest Of The WeekHarper Lee's Friend Says Author Is Hard Of Hearing, Sound Of Mindhttp://upr.org/post/harper-lees-friend-says-author-hard-hearing-sound-mind
News that <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/02/03/383524982/harper-lee-plans-to-publish-a-new-novel-featuring-mockingbird-hero">a second novel by Harper Lee</a> will be published next July has thrilled fans of her first novel, <em>To Kill a Mockingbird,</em> but it has also been met with some skepticism and concern.Wed, 04 Feb 2015 23:39:00 +0000Lynn Neary52623 at http://upr.orgHarper Lee's Friend Says Author Is Hard Of Hearing, Sound Of Mind'Adventures Of Beekle' Wins Caldecott; Newbery Goes To 'The Crossover'http://upr.org/post/adventures-beekle-wins-caldecott-newbery-goes-crossover
Parents on the hunt for great kids' books get some help each year when the American Library Association gives out its Youth Media Awards. On Monday, the association announced a long list of winners in a variety of categories.<p>The two that get the most attention are the John Newbery Medal for most outstanding contribution to children's literature and the Randolph Caldecott Medal for picture book artistry.Mon, 02 Feb 2015 22:47:00 +0000Lynn Neary52517 at http://upr.org'Adventures Of Beekle' Wins Caldecott; Newbery Goes To 'The Crossover'Vocab Tech For Toddlers Encourages 'Anytime, Anywhere Learning'http://upr.org/post/vocab-intensive-tech-toddlers-encourages-anytime-anywhere-learning
When the children's television show <em>Sesame Street</em> first hit the air in 1969, many were deeply skeptical that you could use TV to introduce very young children to the basics of reading and math. But the experiment proved to be a remarkable success;<em> Sesame Street</em> has reached several generations of toddlers with its combination of educational content and pure entertainment.Wed, 31 Dec 2014 08:31:00 +0000Lynn Neary51063 at http://upr.orgVocab Tech For Toddlers Encourages 'Anytime, Anywhere Learning'Nonprofit Fights Illiteracy By Getting Books To Kids Who Need Themhttp://upr.org/post/first-book-gets-reading-material-hands-low-income-students
When it comes to learning to read, educators agree: the younger, the better. Children can be exposed to books even before they can talk, but for that a family has to <em>have</em> books, which isn't always the case.<p>There are neighborhoods in this country with plenty of books; and then there are neighborhoods where books are harder to find. Almost 15 years ago, Susan Neuman, now a professor at New York University, focused on that discrepancy, in a study that looked at just how many books were available in Philadelphia's low-income neighborhoods.Mon, 29 Dec 2014 10:06:00 +0000Lynn Neary50983 at http://upr.orgNonprofit Fights Illiteracy By Getting Books To Kids Who Need ThemTourtiere: A French-Canadian Twist On Christmas Piehttp://upr.org/post/tourtiere-french-canadian-twist-christmas-pie
<em>A version of this story was originally published on Dec. 23, 2011.</em><p>If you happen to spend Christmas Eve in Canada — especially Quebec — you might be lucky enough to be invited to a festive dinner after midnight Mass. The feast is an old tradition from France called <em>reveillon</em>, and it's something to look forward to after a long day of fasting.<p>"They'll have a huge feast, with sweets and lobster and oysters, everything," says Thomas Naylor, executive chef to the Canadian ambassador to the U.S. "But in Quebec, at least, you'll always have tourtiere.Thu, 18 Dec 2014 18:16:00 +0000Lynn Neary50581 at http://upr.orgTourtiere: A French-Canadian Twist On Christmas PieLong-Lost Letter That Inspired 'On The Road' Style Has Been Foundhttp://upr.org/post/long-lost-letter-inspired-road-style-has-been-found
When Jack Kerouac's <em>On the Road</em> was first published in 1957 no one had ever seen anything quite like it. As it turns out, that stream of consciousness style that Kerouac made famous owes a huge debt to a letter written by his friend Neal Cassady. Among Kerouac scholars and fans it became known as the "Joan Anderson letter." It was missing for 65 years, but it has been found and will be auctioned next month.<p>Joe Maddalena, CEO of the auction house Profiles in History, first heard of the letter about a year ago.Mon, 24 Nov 2014 22:46:00 +0000Lynn Neary49568 at http://upr.orgLong-Lost Letter That Inspired 'On The Road' Style Has Been FoundAmazon, Hachette Reach Agreement Over E-Book Priceshttp://upr.org/post/amazon-hachette-reach-agreement-over-e-book-prices
<div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.<img src="http://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Amazon%2C+Hachette+Reach+Agreement+Over+E-Book+Prices&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDA4MzM1ODU4MDEzMTg5NjcxOTBkZGJhOA004)"/></div><p>Transcript <p>AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: <p>Amazon and the Hachette Book Group have finally reached an agreement on the sale of e-books and print books. A dispute over a new contract played out very publicly for months.Thu, 13 Nov 2014 21:30:00 +0000Lynn Neary49125 at http://upr.orgTom Magliozzi, Popular Co-Host Of NPR's 'Car Talk,' Dies At 77http://upr.org/post/tom-magliozzi-popular-co-host-nprs-car-talk-dies-77
Tom Magliozzi, one of public radio's most popular personalities, <a href="360340663" target="_blank">died on Monday </a>of complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 77 years old.<p>Tom and his brother, Ray, became famous as "Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers" on the weekly NPR show <em>Car Talk</em>. They bantered, told jokes, laughed and sometimes even gave pretty good advice to listeners who called in with their car troubles.<p>If there was one thing that defined Tom Magliozzi, it was his laugh.Mon, 03 Nov 2014 19:47:00 +0000Lynn Neary48634 at http://upr.orgTom Magliozzi, Popular Co-Host Of NPR's 'Car Talk,' Dies At 77French Novelist Patrick Modiano Wins Literature Nobelhttp://upr.org/post/french-novelist-patrick-modiano-wins-literature-nobel
<div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2014 NPR.Thu, 09 Oct 2014 13:13:00 +0000Lynn Neary47652 at http://upr.orgOver 900 Authors Lend Their Names To A Letter Backing Hachettehttp://upr.org/post/over-900-authors-lend-their-names-letter-backing-hachette
<div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.<img src="http://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Over+900+Authors+Lend+Their+Names+To+A+Letter+Backing+Hachette&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDA1MTkyNjA1MDEyNzM1MTQ0ODk3NTA1NA004)"/></div><p>Transcript <p>AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: <p>From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.<p>MELISSA BLOCK, HOST: <p>And I'm Melissa Block. More than 900 writers have signed on to a letter condemning Amazon in its dispute with the publishing company Hachette over the price of e-books.Fri, 08 Aug 2014 20:35:00 +0000Lynn Neary45145 at http://upr.orgWriter Nadine Gordimer Captured Apartheid's Contradictionshttp://upr.org/post/writer-nadine-gordimer-captured-apartheids-contradictions
South African writer Nadine Gordimer, who won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1991, died Sunday at the age of 90. Gordimer merged the personal and political to create a compelling portrait of the injustice of life under apartheid.<p>She was born in 1923 to a mother whose family came to South Africa from Britain and a Jewish father who had lived under oppression in his native Lithuania.Mon, 14 Jul 2014 22:01:00 +0000Lynn Neary44004 at http://upr.orgWriter Nadine Gordimer Captured Apartheid's ContradictionsAuthors Take Opposite Sides On Hachette, Amazon Spathttp://upr.org/post/authors-take-opposite-sides-hachette-amazon-spat
You might think that all writers would be of the same mind about the <a href="http://www.npr.org/2014/05/23/315279264/why-some-books-youre-looking-to-buy-on-amazon-arent-there">dispute between Amazon and Hachette Publishing Company</a> over the price of ebooks. Think again. This week two different sets of authors sent open letters to their "readers" urging them to take one side or the other in the ongoing controversy.<p>It all began when the publisher and Amazon were unable to reach an agreement on ebook prices.Thu, 03 Jul 2014 22:34:00 +0000Lynn Neary43506 at http://upr.orgAuthors Take Opposite Sides On Hachette, Amazon SpatCourt OKs Universities' Quest To Turn To More Digital Copies Of Bookshttp://upr.org/post/court-oks-universities-quest-turn-more-digital-copies-books
A U.S. appeals court has ruled against a group of authors, deciding in favor of a consortium of universities in a case that hinged on copyright law and provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The universities had allowed Google to make digital copies of more than 10 million books so that they could be searchable by specific terms. <div class="fullattribution">Copyright 2014 NPR.Tue, 10 Jun 2014 21:43:00 +0000Lynn Neary42321 at http://upr.orgAmazon's Pricing Dispute Sets Book Expo Buzzinghttp://upr.org/post/amazons-pricing-dispute-sets-book-expo-buzzing
The dispute between retail giant Amazon and publisher Hachette was big news at Book Expo America. Writers, publishers and agents are wondering what the rift could mean for the future of books.Mon, 02 Jun 2014 20:26:00 +0000Lynn Neary41955 at http://upr.orgMaya Angelou, Poet, Activist And Singular Storyteller, Dies At 86http://upr.org/post/maya-angelou-poet-activist-and-singular-storyteller-dies-86
Poet, performer and political activist Maya Angelou has died after a long illness at her home in Winston-Salem, N.C. She was 86. Born in St. Louis in 1928, Angelou grew up in a segregated society that she worked to change during the civil rights era. Angelou, who refused to speak for much of her childhood, revealed the scars of her past in <em>I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings</em>, the first of a series of memoirs.<p>Growing up in St. Louis, Mo., and Stamps, Ark., she was Marguerite Johnson. It was her brother who first called her Maya, and the name stuck.Wed, 28 May 2014 14:06:00 +0000Lynn Neary41705 at http://upr.orgMaya Angelou, Poet, Activist And Singular Storyteller, Dies At 86'Sous Chef' Reveals The High-Adrenaline Dance Behind Your Dinnerhttp://upr.org/post/sous-chef-reveals-high-adrenaline-dance-behind-your-dinner
A restaurant kitchen at the peak of the dinner rush can be a crazy place — hot, crowded and filled with a kind of intense energy that some people, like Michael Gibney, thrive on. Gibney's been working in restaurants since he was young. In his new book, <em>Sous Chef,</em> Gibney tries to capture the rhythm of the kitchen by taking his readers through one day in the life of a fast-paced New York restaurant.<p>Writing is a new affair for Gibney, but cooking is his first love. He got his start in the restaurant business as a kid, washing dishes.Tue, 25 Mar 2014 21:06:00 +0000Lynn Neary38712 at http://upr.org'Sous Chef' Reveals The High-Adrenaline Dance Behind Your DinnerPew Study: Many Technophiles Also Love Librarieshttp://upr.org/post/pew-study-many-technophiles-also-love-libraries
You might think that in a world of Google and Wikipedia, people who love technology wouldn't care much about the musty old local public library. But, according to <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/03/13/library-engagement-typology/">a new report by the Pew Research Internet Project</a>, you'd be wrong.<p>Pew has been studying the changing role of libraries in America in the digital age.Thu, 13 Mar 2014 21:30:00 +0000Lynn Neary38168 at http://upr.orgPew Study: Many Technophiles Also Love LibrariesWhat Wakes B.J. Novak Up In The Middle Of The Night?http://upr.org/post/what-wakes-bj-novak-middle-night
Transcript <p>DAVID GREENE, HOST: <p>When we talk about a triple threat we're often talking about a versatile athlete. Think about a basketball player who can score, defend, and rebound. In show biz, B. J. Novak may be that triple threat. He can do standup, act, and write successfully in all cases. He got his start doing standup comedy. That led to a job on the hit comedy series "The Office" where he had a regular part and was one of the writers.<p>And now he's put his writing talent to work on one more thing. Literally.Fri, 31 Jan 2014 10:04:00 +0000Lynn Neary36398 at http://upr.orgThe Annual Awards For Children's Books Are Outhttp://upr.org/post/annual-awards-childrens-books-are-out
Transcript <p>STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: <p>OK, the Grammy Awards are behind us. The Oscars are around the corner. And now, we have another award that also gets a lot of attention this time of year, from people who love kids' books.<p>The American Library Association has announced this year's Caldecott and Newbery Award winners. NPR's Lynn Neary reports.<p>LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: Kate DiCamillo should be used to accolades by now. She was nominated last year for a National Book Award, and the Library of Congress named her the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.Tue, 28 Jan 2014 10:30:00 +0000Lynn Neary36239 at http://upr.orgIn An Age Of Slavery, Two Women Fight For Their 'Wings'http://upr.org/post/age-slavery-two-women-fight-their-wings
Sue Monk Kidd's new novel is a story told by two women whose lives are wrapped together — beginning, against their wills, when they're young girls. One is a slave; the other, her reluctant owner.Wed, 08 Jan 2014 23:53:00 +0000Lynn Neary35493 at http://upr.orgIn An Age Of Slavery, Two Women Fight For Their 'Wings'Don't Call It Fanfic: Writers Rework Their Favorite Storieshttp://upr.org/post/dont-call-it-fanfic-writers-rework-their-favorite-stories
When writers finish a book, they may think they've had the last word. But sometimes another writer will decide there's more to the story. The madwoman Bertha from <em>Jane Eyre</em> and the father in <em>Little Women</em> are just two examples of secondary characters who have been given a fuller life in a new work of fiction based on a classic novel.<p>Many writers are attracted to the world of Jane Austen. Jo Baker is a big fan of <em>Pride and Prejudice</em>, but there was something about the book that bothered her: the servants.Sat, 07 Dec 2013 13:05:00 +0000Lynn Neary34193 at http://upr.org50 Years After Assassination, Kennedy Books Offer New Analysishttp://upr.org/post/50-years-after-assassination-kennedy-books-offer-new-analysis
In the 50 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the public has never tired of books about the charismatic young president and his tragic death.<p>This year, the market has been particularly flooded with Kennedy books — from glossy photograph collections to serious biographies and histories to a new round of books devoted to conspiracy theories.<p>There were already thousands of books about Kennedy before this 50th anniversary year, but Tony Lyons of Skyhorse Publishing believes there is always room for more.Mon, 18 Nov 2013 22:00:00 +0000Lynn Neary33405 at http://upr.org50 Years After Assassination, Kennedy Books Offer New AnalysisA Panorama Of Devastation: Drawing Of WWI Battle Spans 24 Feethttp://upr.org/post/panorama-devastation-drawing-wwi-battle-spans-24-feet
Joe Sacco is a cartoonist, graphic novelist and journalist; he's best-known for his dispatches from today's regions of conflict, like the Middle East and Bosnia, in cartoon form. But for his latest book, <em>The Great War</em>, Sacco turns his eye on history. He's recreated of one of the worst battles of World War I, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, from its hopeful beginning to its brutal end.<p>The book is unconventional in form — it folds out to form a 24-foot-long panorama.Sun, 10 Nov 2013 21:53:00 +0000Lynn Neary33038 at http://upr.orgA Panorama Of Devastation: Drawing Of WWI Battle Spans 24 FeetBrick-And-Mortar Bookstores Play The Print Card Against Amazonhttp://upr.org/post/brick-and-mortar-bookstores-try-revenge-against-amazon
When it comes to book publishing, all we ever seem to hear about is online sales, the growth of e-books and the latest version of a digital book reader. But the fact is, only 20 percent of the book market is e-books; it's still dominated by print. And a recent standoff in the book business shows how good old-fashioned, brick-and-mortar bookstores are still trying to wield their influence in the industry.Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:48:00 +0000Lynn Neary32493 at http://upr.orgBrick-And-Mortar Bookstores Play The Print Card Against Amazon